OUTDOORS

Local resident hauls in three massive bass

Marion County resident Greg Swearingen caught three massive bass on Lake Weir within a week last month. From left to right: 10.3 pounder caught April 28, 9.92 pounds caught April 27 and 10.76 pounds caught April 21.

Published: Wednesday, May 15, 2013 at 11:43 a.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, May 15, 2013 at 11:43 a.m.

Marion County resident Greg Swearingen had himself quite a week on Lake Weir last month. The 50-year-old who lives on the lake, caught three massive bass in a week's time.

The first one caught April 21 weighed 10.76 pounds. The second on April 27 was 9.92 pounds, while the third was caught April 28 and weighed in at 10.3 pounds.

"Usually, I won't do that good," he said. "I'll get one (big one). But three in an eight-day span is pretty crazy."

Swearingen caught and released all three on state brush. Two of the lunkers were on the west side near the staircase by Carney Island. The other was on the east side by the dock with the blue slide. Both are marked attractors. All three were caught with nothing more than a weighted worm.

The two 10 pounders would have qualified for the Trophy Club, while the other would have made the Lunker Club in the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's TrophyCatch program. But Swearingen was not signed up for the program that rewards Florida bass anglers for their monster catches.

"I called a friend at the (FWC) to tell him how I did, and he told me about (TrophyCatch)," Swearingen said. "I'm registering now."

The Lunker Club is for people who catch a bass between 8 and 9.9 pounds. As of April 30, there were 69 entries around the state since the program began Oct. 1, 2012.

The Trophy Club is for 10 to 12.9 pound bass. There are 42 of those caught as of April 30.

The Hall of Fame Club is for anglers who reel in a bass 13 pounds or greater. This portion of the program wrapped up April 30 with one fisherman entered. Bob Williams caught a 13-pound, 14-ounce monster bass on Rodman Reservoir in February.

TrophyCatch has close to 3,500 anglers registered. Visit www.TrophyCatchFlorida.com for more on the program.

CRAPPIE TOURNAMENT: Winds did not deter 14 teams from around the state last Saturday who took part in a speck tournament held by the Florida Crappie Club at Lake Monroe in Sanford.

Leesburg's Darryl and Terri Cole finished with a seven-fish total of 9 pounds, 4 ounces. Their bag was three ounces heavier than the second-place boat of Don Collins and Rusty Booth, both from Mount Dora. Finishing third was single entrant Sam Adams from Tavares, whose bag weighed 8 pounds, 11.7 ounces.

The winning teams were spider rigging with minnow-tipped jigs in water between 6- and 6½-feet deep.

The tournament paid out to the top two Big Fish anglers. Lake City's John Young caught the heaviest speck — 1 pound, 10.7 ounces. Adams reeled in the second biggest (1 pound, 9.5 ounces).

The Florida Crappie Club's next event is May 25 on the Lake Kissimmee chain at Camp Mack off Highway 60 east of Lake Wales. Call Harold McGhee at 813-215-9759 for more information.

STONE CRAB SEASON: Today marks the end of the commercial and recreational harvest of stone crab claws. Traps must be out of the water within the next five days unless the FWC grants a special extension. The season will reopen Oct. 15.

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Contact Ted Beck at ted.beck@ocala.com to contribute story ideas for this weekly column.

<p>Marion County resident Greg Swearingen had himself quite a week on Lake Weir last month. The 50-year-old who lives on the lake, caught three massive bass in a week's time.</p><p>The first one caught April 21 weighed 10.76 pounds. The second on April 27 was 9.92 pounds, while the third was caught April 28 and weighed in at 10.3 pounds.</p><p>"Usually, I won't do that good," he said. "I'll get one (big one). But three in an eight-day span is pretty crazy."</p><p>Swearingen caught and released all three on state brush. Two of the lunkers were on the west side near the staircase by Carney Island. The other was on the east side by the dock with the blue slide. Both are marked attractors. All three were caught with nothing more than a weighted worm.</p><p>The two 10 pounders would have qualified for the Trophy Club, while the other would have made the Lunker Club in the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's TrophyCatch program. But Swearingen was not signed up for the program that rewards Florida bass anglers for their monster catches.</p><p>"I called a friend at the (FWC) to tell him how I did, and he told me about (TrophyCatch)," Swearingen said. "I'm registering now."</p><p>The Lunker Club is for people who catch a bass between 8 and 9.9 pounds. As of April 30, there were 69 entries around the state since the program began Oct. 1, 2012.</p><p>The Trophy Club is for 10 to 12.9 pound bass. There are 42 of those caught as of April 30.</p><p>The Hall of Fame Club is for anglers who reel in a bass 13 pounds or greater. This portion of the program wrapped up April 30 with one fisherman entered. Bob Williams caught a 13-pound, 14-ounce monster bass on Rodman Reservoir in February.</p><p>TrophyCatch has close to 3,500 anglers registered. Visit www.TrophyCatchFlorida.com for more on the program.</p><p><b>CRAPPIE TOURNAMENT:</b> Winds did not deter 14 teams from around the state last Saturday who took part in a speck tournament held by the Florida Crappie Club at Lake Monroe in Sanford.</p><p>Leesburg's Darryl and Terri Cole finished with a seven-fish total of 9 pounds, 4 ounces. Their bag was three ounces heavier than the second-place boat of Don Collins and Rusty Booth, both from Mount Dora. Finishing third was single entrant Sam Adams from Tavares, whose bag weighed 8 pounds, 11.7 ounces.</p><p>The winning teams were spider rigging with minnow-tipped jigs in water between 6- and 6½-feet deep.</p><p>The tournament paid out to the top two Big Fish anglers. Lake City's John Young caught the heaviest speck — 1 pound, 10.7 ounces. Adams reeled in the second biggest (1 pound, 9.5 ounces).</p><p>The Florida Crappie Club's next event is May 25 on the Lake Kissimmee chain at Camp Mack off Highway 60 east of Lake Wales. Call Harold McGhee at 813-215-9759 for more information.</p><p><b>STONE CRAB SEASON:</b> Today marks the end of the commercial and recreational harvest of stone crab claws. Traps must be out of the water within the next five days unless the FWC grants a special extension. The season will reopen Oct. 15.</p><p>------</p><p><i>Contact Ted Beck at ted.beck@ocala.com to contribute story ideas for this weekly column.</i></p>